"take one or two others along with you"

I came across the famous "Matthew 18" passage again this morning:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

And I started thinking this might be the best approach to take with most things in a Christian community, not just "when your brother sins against you."

I mean start small and from the bottom up. We don't have to wait until people in leadership positions decide to initiate everything, when we see what is needed we should respond as we can: individually first, then if we need more help, ask one or two others. And if it's something that a few can't handle and it needs everyone in on it, only then bring it before the group. So often I've seen ideas presented to leadership or in a meeting, and then watched them get bogged down when everyone feels they have to have their say on it. Or things not getting done because the group can't come to a consensus. When most of the time only a few people are really needed to accomplish the task, and someone could certainly find one or two people that could agree and take care of it.

That approach also has the feel of the Good Samaritan to it. Instead of avoiding problems (or problem people) because "it's not my job to handle that mess," we step in and act, even if it's just as an individual. I think that makes it easier for the Spirit, too. Just having to move one or two people in the right direction, instead of having to overcome the inertia of a large group.

And notice in Jesus' Mt 18 instructions, no leaders mentioned. A troublesome situation like that, and there's no directions for when the people in authority positions should step in and handle it. If it's that way for dealing with unrepentant community members, what's could possibly be so difficult that we would have to call a leader at all?